The Position of Shiʿites in the Historiography of the Imams until the End of the 3rd Century AH

Document Type : Research/Original/Reqular Article

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Theology and Ahl al-Bayt Studies, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

The historiography of the Imams occupies a central position within early Shiʿite historical writing, shaped by evolving intellectual paradigms and communal identity concerns. This study investigates the emergence and development of this genre among Shiʿite scholars during the first three centuries of Islam, identifying 65 authors-primarily companions of the Imams-who composed approximately 191 works dedicated to the history of the Imams. While a portion of these works have been edited, translated, and published, others survive only as rare manuscripts, are scattered within broader Shiʿite compilations, or remain lost or unidentified. These historical writings were deeply influenced by the scholarly traditions of Kufa, Basra, and Medina and often adopted a monographic format with a predominant narrative-akhbārī (report-based) orientation, though elements of ḥadīth and kalām are also present. The historiographical value and credibility of these texts vary, but their influence persists in later Islamic historical and ḥadīth literature. Employing a combination of quantitative data and descriptive analysis, this study draws on a wide range of Islamic sources to reassess the scope and character of early Shiʿite historiography.
 

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Transliteration
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Iranian Journal for the History of Islamic Civilization
Volume 57, Issue 2
February 2025
Pages 47-85

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History

  • Receive Date: 22 July 2024
  • Revise Date: 17 December 2024
  • Accept Date: 19 December 2024

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